The Lakers were amenable to this deal, according to sources, because Lin is only under contract for one more season, thus preserving their cap space next summer. They also covet draft picks, after trading away their first-round picks in 2015 and 2017 to Phoenix and Orlando as part of the Steve Nash and Dwight Howard trades, respectively.

Big, BIG news in the National Basketball Association today. Linsanity is taking his talents to the Hollywood Hills. Does this tip the scales in the West toward the Lakers? Most likely. Kobe's future is completely uncertain, Pau Gasol probably won't be back, and the rest of the team is made up of people I've never heard of, but whatever. You throw one of the most culturally significant players in the league in one of the cultural epicenters of the world, you know some good shit is gonna happen. Congrats to Lakers fans everywhere, nice to see a city that deserves some help actually get it.